


Of Death and Rebirth

by Ms_George



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angel Dean Winchester, Cas is so done, Gabriel Needs a Hug (Supernatural), M/M, Semi-good Crowley, not another apocalypse
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-17
Updated: 2020-11-18
Packaged: 2021-03-10 02:28:06
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27606280
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ms_George/pseuds/Ms_George
Summary: Dean has always been Dean, but after his most recent stint as Michael's meat-suit he discovers he may just be something more. Azrael is an ancient being, far older than any of his siblings. He's waking back up, and is determined to clean up his families messes through whatever means necessary.
Relationships: Castiel/Dean Winchester, Gabriel/Sam Winchester
Comments: 2
Kudos: 37





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> This story is migrating from FFnet, its been a long while since I've even looked at this story but with the end of the show upon us I've felt a burst of inspiration for this fandom. Updates will be sporadic, but I will do my absolute best to finish at least one of my multi-chapter stories.

The world's turning was but a blip upon his memory, but even he was aware that quite some time had passed since his fall from grace. He extended his existence beyond the tree that had been his domicile for the extent of his self imposed exile, and searched the world over for his core. He located it in the body of a mortal man who was currently being occupied by his brother Michael. He then simply pushed Michael from the man’s body and sent the human a map of sorts, detailing the long journey to reach the tree he currently occupied. Once finished with that, he turned his attention towards Heaven, Hell, The Empty, and Purgatory in hopes to get a small peak at the balance of things before returning. What he found was most displeasing.  
_____________________________________________________________________

Flashing lights and a ripping pain deep in his being. He was falling from something- something important was just on the edge of his memory. A place- no, an object… maybe a person? Fortingall. That was the word he was remembering. If only he could remember what it meant! He felt it had something to do with an old cemetary, and maybe a church? An image of a tree flashed across his mind’s eye. The tree was strange, it looked like several trees had fused together into one. It felt familiar… comforting almost. Like home. Fortingall. Find me. Awake! Find me at Fortingall! We must become one once more! Awake!

Dean’s eyes snapped open as he awoke with a gasp. He sat up, shaking off the weird dream as he investigated his surroundings. He was in some sort of penthouse suite. The room had large windows overlooking an impressive view of a city, and a massive coffee table occupied most of the room. The room was unfamiliar to Dean and he had no idea how he had got there. The last thing he remembered was facing down Michael with the spear- and that was it. Dean pulled himself up to a stand and looked down at his feet. He was wearing a suit. Not just any old thrift store bargain either, but an actual tailored suit and loafers to match. This could only mean one thing. The hole in his memory, the penthouse, the clothing- it could only mean that Michael had somehow gotten back in. Dean could only hope that everyone else was safe. He glanced around, hoping to spot a phone or something he could use to check the date, and maybe make a call to Sam with. No such luck though, archangels probably didn’t need phones or calendars. Whatever, Dean still needed a way to get back to the bunker- and if Michael didn’t have a phone then that meant he probably didn’t have a car either. Which meant Dean was gonna have to use the all purpose five finger discount and snag himself a ride.

Dean made his way over to the door to leave but paused when he heard voices outside.

“Hey man, what do you think is taking the boss so long in there?”

“I don’t know! Why don’t you go ask him yourself?”

Dean cursed under his breath and pulled away from the door. Of course Michael had goons, and with his luck lately- they were probably armed and super-monsters. God-fucking dammit, what did he have to do to get a lucky break for once? He just needed to think, he could maybe bluff his way out- no that wouldn’t work, the fugglies could probably smell that he wasn’t Michael anymore. Son of a bitch, he was fuckin screwed. Dean started pacing. He ran an agitated hand through his hair and let out a disgusted grunt when it came back covered in hair product. It was like Michael had dumped a whole bottle of the stuff onto his head!

“Fucking gross. Ugh, Imma need a shower,” and a beer he added as an afterthought. Or maybe more.

Dean suddenly froze as he felt a small breeze coming from above. He looked up and spotted an air vent. No way. He grabbed one of the expensive looking chairs in the room and placed it below the air vent. Standing on the chair, Dean pulled the cover off the vent and pulled himself up to look down the air shaft. The corridor was narrow, and it would be a tight squeeze, but Dean was pretty sure he would fit. Dean let the cover fall to the floor as he pulled himself fully into the narrow shaft and began shuffling forward, trying to make as little noise as possible. He was crawling for what felt like eternity before he came across another cover.

Dean peered into the room below to check if it was empty, but decided to keep going. He wanted as much distance as possible between him and Michael’s goons. He pulled himself along past several more vent covers before stopping and looking down into another room. The room looked like a conference area, but was currently empty and would have to do. He pulled the cover off and lowered himself carefully to the floor. After a small pause to listen for voices, he pulled the door open to look up and down the hallway. The coast clear- he hurried to the nearest elevator and pressed the down button. When the doors opened he stepped inside and hit the button for the lobby. He was gonna have to move fast once out of the building, and pray that no one noticed him jacking a car. He moved through the lobby quickly and pushed through the doors, now outside- he glanced around and began to look for a more secluded area to find a car.

Dean wound up choosing some douche electric car out of convenience, but the moment he was back to his baby- he was setting this travesty on fire. He was on his way home and already looking forward to a long, hot shower and a cool glass of whiskey.


	2. Chapter Two

Dean arrived back at the bunker the next day- having driven through the night- sometime around noon. He practically lunged out of the douche-mobile and moved with purpose to the front door of the bunker. Quickly unlocking the door and throwing it open, he rushed down the stairs- mentally readying himself for the interrogations that were sure to follow.

“Sammy? Where you at? Sam….,” Dean’s voice trailed off as he took in the scene before him. In the war room stood three people he never thought he’d see again. Kevin, Crowley, and Gabriel. 

“Deano!” Gabriel wore his trademark smirk and had his arm around Cas’s shoulders, “ ‘bout time you joined the party! Heard you’ve had Michael riding your ass lately.”

Dean just stood there, gaping at the resurrected beings before him.

“I think Michael broke your squirrel Castiel,” said Crowley.

Dean still just stared, and began to walk forward. Dean wasn’t sure what was going on. They were dead, they were supposed to be dead. Something told him that this wasn’t fake, that this was real.

“Sam… what’s going on? What…” Sam took a few steps back from Dean to stand a little protectively in front of the others. Dean realized how suspicious this looked. Afterall, Michael had already slipped back in once and as far as anyone knew he could easily get back in.

Sam pushed Jack and Kevin a little further back. “Dean, maybe it would be for the best if you let Gabriel look you over. You know,” Sam gave a strained smile, “just to be sure it’s just you up there.”

Dean really did not want anyone else in his head ever again, but the thought of Michael getting back in or even the fact that he might still be there was just as bad. However, he still felt nauseous and violated and didn’t want to be probed, friends or not. “Sammy I’m not sure-”

“Dean!” Sam was starting to look frustrated. “We thought Michael was gone the first time and we paid for it. We need to be sure! I get that you’re probably uneasy about this- I’ve been there- but we’re going to have to do this before we can tell you anything or let you stay here.”

Dean grimaced but ultimately decided to let Gabriel check him over. He watched Gabriel as the archangel put his hand to Dean’s forehead. Dean felt the familiar faint warmth of angel grace fill his body for a few seconds before Gabriel frowned slightly. Gabriel pulled his hand back for a moment and seemed to be confused. He this time brought both hands to Dean’s temples and used a much stronger burst of grace, strong enough to almost burn.

Gabriel now looked very confused. “I don’t… Cas can you look at this? I need a second opinion and you know him best.”

Cas walked over and stood next to Gabriel, lifted his hand and put two fingers to the center of Dean’s forehead for a moment. He had a look of concentration that morphed to disbelief. “I don’t understand. I rebuilt your body myself, I’ve healed you countless times, and I’ve been around you for years. How could I… wait, maybe?”  
Cas removed his hand and turned to Gabriel, completely ignoring everyone's panicked looks. “Do you think God might have done something? Or maybe Death?”

“Maybe,” Gabriel said consideringly. “It’s also possible that both of them had something to do with this.”

Dean felt his patience snap. “What are you sensing in my goddamn head? Is Michael still in there? Something else? Tell me!”

“Dean,” Cas seemed like he might be in shock, and whatever news that could do that to an angel had to be big. “Michael is not present and there is no way for him to reenter your mind without permission. However,” Cas paused, “do you remember Anna?”

It took Dean a moment to remember, but he did indeed remember the angel Aniel who had ripped out her grace, fallen to Earth, and became the psych ward patient Anna before retaking her place in Heaven during the first apocalypse. “Yeah I do, but what does she have to do with anything? I thought she died?”

“She did, but Dean I asked you because your soul is no longer human, and if what we are sensing is correct then you may very well have never been so.”

The bunker fell into total silence at Cas’s words for what felt like an eternity, then absolute pandemonium broke out.

“What do you mean-”

“Not ever human?!”

“Is he still Dean?”

Dean felt numb. May very well have never been so. Dean looked down at his hands as if proof of his inhumanity could be found on his skin. He- he didn’t… understand. Not human? What else could he be? Was the vampire blood taking back over? Was he turning back into a demon? 

“Is this something we need to be worried about?” Crowley was eyeballing Dean a bit warrily, no doubt remembering what he was like as a Knight of Hell. “Is he going to start brutally murdering people again?”

“No, no. Nothing like that.” Gabriel was starting to light up, smiling at Dean like he was the best thing since the internet. “Deano here is a fallen angel. At some point he pulled out his grace and fell to Earth. I don’t know which angel, and won’t unless we find his grace-”

“You can’t be serious,” Dean cut in, “I’ve died hundreds of times, I’ve been to Hell and Purgatory and Heaven and every other goddamn place in between.” Dean started to pace back and forth, pulling his fingers through his hair and ignoring the sticky feeling of expensive hair product. “I’ve been a fucking demon and a vampire for fuck’s sake! How could I be a fallen angel?”

Cas grabbed on to Dean’s arms, stopping his pacing. He pulled him over to the war table in the middle of the room and sat him down in one of the chairs. “We think someone very old and very powerful hid the truth from everyone, but what we don’t know is why they stopped hiding it. This might also be what forced Michael from your body.”  
“So Michael knows that Dean isn’t human?” Jack stepped around Sam’s stiff form and sat in a chair next to Dean. “Do you think he might go looking for Dean’s missing grace?”

_____________________________________________________________________

Michael was frustrated. She had been forced to retake the female business woman as her host when she was evicted from Dean’s body. Whatever had forced her out was old, far older than even her. What she did know was that Dean was not as human as he had seemed. She absent mindedly summoned a few of her monsters to her side.  
“Go to the Winchester’s home and keep an eye on their movements. If they leave I want to know when, I want to know why, and I want to know where they are going. Am I clear?

“Yes Ma’am!”

Michael nodded, pleased for now. She then started walking to the door, preparing to start flying. She had some things to check and more than a few questions that needed answering. While these turn of events were certainly a setback, she would not be deterred from her goals for long.


End file.
